


he who the gods love (dies young)

by FollowingButterflies



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Angst with a Happy Ending, It's TSOA so it's gonna fucking hurt, M/M, The Song of Achilles - Freeform, Trojan War, Warrior Castiel, Warrior Dean, but I swear it will be ok in the end
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-07-26 23:54:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7595287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FollowingButterflies/pseuds/FollowingButterflies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We shall fight alongside one another and never be parted. We shall never be forgotten.”</p><p>He was the son of a goddess, blessed from birth with the skill of a warrior. He was as bright as the sun and the only man Castiel would ever love. In ancient Greece two boys meet, sent away from home to become legends. A bond stronger than friendship goes between the two boys and carries on into adulthood. </p><p>When the fabled wife of a king flees her country it throws the country into a violent war. A war that will change everything. </p><p>A 'The Song of Achilles' AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story came from an AU I wrote last year, then abandoned. It is a re-imagining of Madeline Miller's brutal, life ruining, shitstorm 'The Song of Achilles' aka the worst fucking book* I have ever read in my life. In this Dean is Deinias and other characters will be explained as I post chapters. 
> 
> *It's actually one of my favourite books of all time but it still fucking hurts man. It hurts so much. Fuck you Miller, fuck you.

_Ancient Greece_

_1261 B.C_

He was radiant. Apollo himself would have turned his head away with envy. Sunlight gleaming off a bright breastplate, sword expertly poised ready and waiting in strong arms crafted for war. He was trained for this, trained to be a man epics were written about. A God among mortals. Castiel knew though, he knew no training could teach what that Gods had gifted him with. Some say he was blessed while others question if it were all just a curse. There was no doubt in Castiel’s mind that his love was truly blessed by the Gods.

“Are you frightened?” Castiel asked though humour rings in his voice. He knows his glorious God isn't scared.

“With you by my side how could I be?” Is the reply. A dazzling smile that would have blinded a lesser man spread across his beautiful face. Not a drop of fear could be seen. Not to the naked eyes at least. Castiel could see the flicker off doubt in the glorious green of his lover’s eyes. While no one could see, Castiel laced his fingers through Deinias’ strong, calloused fingers, and held on tight. 

~*~

At night there is fear. Held close together where they are the only two in the world. The only light comes from a single candle flicking slowly by their bed. The soft orange light paints a dappled glow onto the deeply tanned skin on the body of Castiel’s beloved.

“What if one day my story is lost to the ages?” Deinias asked, his face was light but Castiel could see the worry in his eyes. “They will no longer tell stories to their children of what I have done.” His beloved said, lips dancing by Castiel’s ear in a whisper even the Gods couldn’t hear. “No one will remember us, how bravely we fought or how fiercely we loved.” The fear rings out louder than a roar.

“That will never be true.” Castiel replied as he soothed away the pain. Every touch brought the relief they so desperately seek. “Your story will be immortal.” He reassured Deinias. He kissed the sun drenched skin of his lover, desperate to sooth away the worry.

“ _Our_  story. There is no me without you.” Deinias’ tone was insistent. He never thought, all those years ago that they would be here. He never believed that Deinias would see him this way.

“Do not joke. You are a God.” Hands danced over washed and dressed wounds, praying the pain away come morning. His body had been worshipped like a God’s since birth but no one had worshipped him like Castiel and no one ever would. Be belonged to each other and each other alone.

“I'm nothing but a man, no, merely a boy when you are not by my side.” Deinias said. Lips traced the contours of Castiel’s face, searching in the dark for Castiel’s own lips. Once they were found nothing else mattered. They are one. “We shall fight alongside one another and never be parted. We shall never be forgotten.”

“You have our lives mapped out like the stars?” Castiel joked. This was his lover though, a man born for great war but with the wonder of a child. Deinias would look out most nights at the deep sky. He would tell Castiel all the stories he knew of the Gods and what they thought of the mortals below.

“Most certainly.” Deinias said as laughter spilled from his lips. “We shall become the most celebrated and fierce warriors the world has ever and will ever see. Kings from all over will seek us to fight for them. From Illyria to Macedonia, Thessaly to Lokris. They will beg for our skill and then when all the wars have been win we shall return to Phthia. We shall live the rest of our days as old men, side by side in the setting of the sun but still glorious and fierce. It is written in the stars and agreed by the Gods.” Deinias says, his voice ringing with happiness. “Of course you will never be as lovely as you are now.” He joked as his hands roamed over Castiel’s tired body. “Right here, right now, you’re entirely mine.”

“You are a fool. A beautiful fool.” Castiel said, laughter spilling from his lips.

“I am your beautiful fool. I will be your beautiful fool for all eternity.” Deinias said.

Fate has a twisted humour. As they lay in the darkness, mapping out the bodies they worshipped, they did not know how fate would twist their words.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Phthia // Greece** _

_**1247 BC** _

They met on the cusp of adolescence. Sent away from their families to become warriors destined for greatness. Deinias hailed from Larissa, where his Goddess mother would walk along the shores of the river. It had been some time since Castiel had seen his home Iolkos near Mt. Pelion. He greatly missed his home but the promise of greatness was more than his sickness for home. His father said, before Castiel left his life in Iolkos, that his tales of bravery and skill would be sung for eternity.

Castiel remembered the exact moment he saw the radiance of the sun. Deinias, Dein as he was known in those times, was stood with several other boys but Castiel only saw him. Taller and more bronzed than the others. He had not long since arrived in Phthia. His stomach was weighed down with nerves but as soon as he noticed the other boy it was as if nothing else mattered.

He knew he was different when it came to how he viewed people. While the other boys back home would spend their days cashing girls and seeing who could win a kiss, Castiel found very little pleasure in it. He preferred to spend his days out in nature with only himself for company. He never thought to seek out company until he noticed Dein.

Everyone whispered tales of the boy; an immortal goddess for a mother one said, cannot be killed whispered another. Castiel did not care for these stories, his only care was being closer to is bright, bright light. Who was he though? He had been sent by his father to become a great warrior. He didn’t have the luxury of goddess mothers or stories of immortality. His destiny was to have his story live out the ages for the sake of his family.

They did not exchange words for several days. The other boy was quiet and rarely spoke to anyone. He fought, he trained and he slept. He did not seem to care about talking to the other boys. Castiel gained the respect of several of the other boys due to the carful and cunning way his mind worked. The radiant sun seemed alone.

“It is strange.” Ganymedes, a fellow young man that Castiel knew from back home, said one night over their evening meal. “He never speaks to anyone.”

“Would you? If gossip followed you at every turn?” Castiel asked. Ganymedes let out a loud laugh.

“I would welcome it. Son of a God? I would walk among the people proclaiming my deity.”

“Humility will never be a curse you have to bare.” Castiel muttered as he glanced over to where Deinias was sat alone. He ate all his meals alone and since he arrived Castiel had yet to see the other boy talk to the others unless it was a necessity. The boy always looked as though he was bathed in sunlight, and yet, Castiel had never seen someone look so alone. It pained him to see another person face the world without someone by their side.

On the tenth day everything changed. Their story began in that moment when Castiel was sat under a small tree seeking shade from the blazing sun. A small water sack sat by his feet and the silence that came from lack of company was comforting. After a while Castiel became aware of a shadow falling across him.

“Castiel?” Castiel glanced and saw Deinias stood before him. Castiel was surprised. He didn’t even know that Deinias knew of him. “Do you want company?” The other boy asked him, his golden voice ringing with nerves.

Castiel had hidden himself away for solidarity, the voices of the other boys became too much for him at times, but he found himself nodding his head. Deinias intrigued him and that was no secret to Castiel so the thought of the other boy joining him was welcome.

“Please sit.” Castiel said with surprise. He felt honoured to have been singled out. They sat under the tree sharing water and making small conversation as the warm breeze rippled by. Neither spoke of home though that did not surprise Castiel, home was now a distant memory and they had their new lives ahead of them.

“The others have this grand idea of who I am.” Deinias commented and Castiel watched him carefully, worried about saying something wrong when Deinias had singled him out. “I hear them whisper about me. It is hard not to hear.”

“I don't hear the whispers.” Castiel said reassuringly. He wanted Deinias to know he could be trusted. “Even if I did they do not have any meaning behind them. It is all mindless gossip.”

“You think that? Do you not ever wonder if it is all true? The goddess mother, my destiny to be a great warrior…”

“Who am I to wonder?”  Castiel asked. He knew the stories of Deinias, the others spoke about them since arriving, but really who was he to have wonders of the other boy’s greatness. “I'm just like everyone else.”

“No, you can't think that. I've watched you…in training that is.” The other boy stumbled over his words just like any other. “I believe you could be great.”

“Not as great as you.” Castiel said.

“I could help you if you like.” Deinias replied, still stumbling over his words ever so. “That is only if you want to of course.” He was seeking Castiel out, seeking him out for friendship. Even in the shade of the trees Castiel felt his skin flush.

“Thank you. I would like that very much.”


	3. Chapter 3

As if it was blessed by the Gods they became friends. Deinias sort him out the next day and every day that followed. They would eat meals together, read the same books at night and spend lazy afternoons under the shade of trees. They began to train together which pushed Castiel harder than before. His skill progressed until he could himself becoming a warrior. Deinias had pure skill, he moved with a fierce grace that was lethal. Castiel would go to sleep every night aching, his muscles crying with exhaustion but he pushed his body to become greater. 

The other boys looked on with envy. Castiel could see it in their eyes. They were envious of the friendship blossoming between Castiel and Deinias. The other boys no longer joked around with Castiel over Deinias and soon they all but left him alone. It was just him and Deinias. That was how he wanted it though, he was happier than he'd ever been when he was in the company of this beautiful warrior. 

He wrote home to his family with word of his training and his friendship with Deinias. His father was full of joy in his replying letter. Castiel had heard the rumours following Deinias but from his father he learnt a lot more. Deinias’ brother was to become the king of Ithaca as Deinias rejected the crown to become a great warrior. The friendship between him and Castiel was, in Castiel’s father’s words, of great advantage to everyone. Castiel did not see it that way, he merely wanted to be in Deinias' presence. 

It started of slowly, like a small and flickering candle. He had always marvelled the way Deinias moved because of his skill but now he was noticing his body, the way his bronzed body danced through the sun when they trained. The melodious sound of Deinias’ laughter as it filled the banqueting hall at night. At night Castiel found himself watching the other boy more and more. He wondered if the others saw it, if they even cared. Castiel didn’t care what they thought though, his world was slowly becoming engulfed by Deinias.

"You shall become a fine soldier one day Castiel." Their instructor said one night after training. "I see how hard you work and have written back home to your parents. They are very proud."

"Thank you." Castiel said as his cheeks reddened. He wasn’t used to praise. He had never received it from his father.

"I would like you and Deinias to begin stricter training. I’ve watched how you train together and am very impressed. It will mean being away from the others and the skills will be harder but you have proven yourself." Castiel swelled with pride and raced off to find Deinias to tell him.

He found the other boy in the shared room, sat in his bed whittling a small wooden horse. Castiel had been the one to teach him how to do that. Deinias sat up in his bed while he watched Castiel hurry into the room. His face curious and bright.

“We are to leave.” Castiel announced. Deinias’ face fell with worry. “Not to be sent home, to train in the mountains.” Deinias’ face lit up with excitement. “They said we’ve been working hard and improving. We are to leave in the morning.”

"Stories will be written about us. Deinias and Castiel, the greatest warriors the world ever saw." Deinias said relaxing in his bed, a radiant smile lighting up his beautiful face. "He is right though. You have improved." 

"Only to keep up with you." Castiel admitted with redden cheeks as he slid into his own bed. No one else was in the room, the other boys were outside playing or eating. It was just him and Deinias.

"We can't all be blessed by Gods." Deinias said with a shrug of his strong golden shoulders. It was during this time that Castiel thought so fondly of him. During the hours of sunlight, Deinias was serious and determined. Come evening he was full of laughter and wit. "Do you realise that this changes things? With further training we can become great, we can become legends." The joy in Deinias' voice rang so loudly Castiel could not fight the smile on his lips. 

"Legends you say?"

"Of course." Deinias said, his golden face breaking out into a smile. "I'm glad that it is you by my side Castiel, I would not want to do this without you." Castiel felt heat spreading through his cheeks as Deinias gazed at him. He had never had a friend like Deinias before. For once he did feel as though he had been blessed. 

"I would not want to do this without you either." Castiel said, his voice breaking ever so.


End file.
